Cicatricosus Scarab vs Common Christmas Beetle

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Cicatricosus Scarab Common Christmas Beetle
Scientific Name Scarabaeus cicatricosus Anoplognathus pallidicollis
Order Coleoptera Coleoptera
Family Scarabaeidae Scarabaeidae
Size 18-25 mm 20-30 mm
Habitat Farmland Woodlands
Diet Dung Feeders Root Feeders
Regions Iberian Peninsula, North Africa Australia
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Cicatricosus Scarab

A medium-sized dark roller with a rough, pitted exoskeleton that gives it a scarred appearance. It inhabits coastal sandy areas and constructs dung balls from rabbit and livestock dung. Active primarily at dusk.

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Did You Know?

The rough texture of its exoskeleton helps it grip sand as it rolls dung balls across dune habitats.

Common Christmas Beetle

A glossy golden-brown scarab beetle that swarms around lights during the Australian summer. It is the most commonly encountered Christmas beetle species.

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Did You Know?

Their emergence in December each year gave them the common name Christmas beetle.